Talking Pictures | Selfie Bridesmaids

There's a well-used (and often overused) term in photography known as 'the decisive moment'. It was coined back in the twentieth century by one of photography's greats, Henri Cartier-Bresson.

The decisive moment is generally recognised as being the perfect point to press the shutter. That heart-skipping instant when light, composition and subject all come together to make the ideal image. The result is a photograph which conveys more than just colours and shapes on a screen or printed page. It can have the power to move, enthral, shock, or elicit a smile.

Some photographers can see a scene and immediately spot its potential, framing an image and waiting for the various elements to align. More often than not, the result is frustration as the photographic gods decline to oblige.

Every now and then though...

This photo was taken some years ago and still puts a smile on my face. The couple (Jenna & Adam), had just exchanged vows and taken a seat to sign the marriage register. After concentrating on the couple during the ceremony, this is a great moment to capture a few candid moments as guests chat among themselves. Photograph enough weddings and you develop a kind of sixth sense, tuning into what's going on around you and being able to react instinctively. This is a perfect example. Turning around, I spotted the two bridesmaids readying for a selfie. Without being consciously aware, my camera was already coming up to capture the moment. One second, just two frames and it had passed.

However, what's left is one of those images which has the power to transport. For those who were there, we're back in the room, ten years ago, remembering the scene. Those who weren't present can still relate though, seeing something of themselves in two characters doing what many of us do at weddings.

Maybe it's not a decisive moment in the truest sense of the term. But for me, it's a snapshot moment that still evokes a response and one I'm proud to have been part of.

Thanks for looking at this Talking Pictures post - if you’ve enjoyed it, why not see others in the series which dig a little deeper into a single image and the thinking behind it.